When I was making plans to attend the annual EAA AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin last month, I specifically planned my trip around the chance to see the famous night air show. Acrobatic pilots perform routines while shooting fireworks and sparks from their wings — and it's amazing!

The Aeroshell aerobatic team has been performing in their AT-6 Texans for twenty-five years.

The Aeroshell AT-6 Texans have an illuminated engine cowling!

A rocket-propelled car blasts down the Wittman Field runway during the night air show on July 30th.

An aerobatic biplane is back-lit by the smoke and flames of the rocket car.

Matt Younkin flies a Beech 18

Based in Houston, Gene Soucy has been flying in air shows for over 46 years, including over 3,000 performances in over 40 different aircraft. At AirVenture 2014, he flew his ShowCat during the night air shows on Wednesday and Saturday.

Here's Gene's performance from Wednesday night, filmed by GoPro.

All still photos by Paul Thompson, who used a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 telephoto lens for these night shots.